Single-use paper bags are still allowed under the ordinance, but retailers are required to charge at least 5 cents each for those bags.

Councilman Mike Clark voted against the ban, saying he supported the idea of encouraging a reduction in bag use, but he did not favor the bag fee.

Councilman George Poling also voted against the ban, saying the issue is a matter of choice. Poling said the problem isn’t single-use bags — because they are often reused — but people who do not dispose of the bags properly.